Standardized building frame member



P 0, 1955 R. H. BROWN 2,718,034.

STANDARDIZED BUILDING FRAME MEMBER Filed NOV. 15 1951 2 0 F i I Fig.3

INVENTOR.

HTTOAIVEKS United States Patent Ofliee 2,718,034 Patented Sept. 20, 1955 STANDARDIZED BUILDING FRAME MEMBER Richard Hail Brown, Birmingham, Ala.

Application November 13, 1951, Serial No. 255,924

2 Claims. (Cl. 20-4 This invention relates to a frame member for building constructions and has for an object the provision of such a member which shall be standardized for use in the construction of all vertical walls throughout the building, permitting the same to be used as a stud, corner, T, plate, door jamb, or window jamb.

Another object of my invention is to provide a standardized member in the nature of a stud for building construction having channel shaped grooves extending the entire length thereof in position to receive selectively a vertical Wall of the building or a filler strip employed for hanging doors and windows.

A further object of my invention is to provide a standardized building member of the character designated which may be grooved at the time the member is sawed or planed thus providing a member which readily lends itself to mass production and one which may be conveniently sawed the desired length thereby effecting a saving in labor and material.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a standardized building stud of the character designated and a filler strip therefor which is adapted for hanging both doors and windows, and one in which the filler strip is reversible so that it may be used as a stop for doors swung either right or left handed, or to receive prefabricated windows.

A building having incorporated therein my improved member and filler strip is illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional plan view of the building;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof taken along the line IIII of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is an elevational view showing only the standardized member and taken along the line IIIIII of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of my invention, my improved member is indicated generally by the numeral as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the stud is substantially rectangular as viewed in cross section. Three sides of the stud 10 are provided with centrally disposed channel shaped grooves 11, 12 and 13 which extend the entire length thereof. The grooves are all the same size and shape and are of a width to receive the side walls 14, the partition walls 16 or an L-shaped filler strip 17 to be described hereinafter.

The side walls 14 and the partition walls 16 of the building are preferably made of sheets or panels of any suitable building materials such as cement-asbestos wall board, water proof plywood, or the like. As shown in Fig. 1 the grooves are of a width to permit the ends of the side walls 14 and the partition walls 16 to fit snugly in either of the same.

The filler strip 17 is L-shaped as viewed in cross section and may be substantially equal in length to the length of the stud 10, or may be of less height, as for instance when used as a door or window jamb. The sides of the filler strip 17 are substantially equal in width to each other and are of a width to fit snugly in the grooves. Also, the legs of the L-shaped filler strips are 'of a thickness substantially equal to the depth of the grooves, thus permitting the L-shaped strips to be reversed for use in hanging doors or windows. When a door 18 is hung the filler strips 17 are positioned so that the door swings inwardly of the building, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. In other words, the outwardly projecting leg of the filler strip 17 is positioned against the outer edge of the door. For mounting windows, the strips 17 may be reversed so as to permit the window 19 to swing outwardly of the building thus positioning the outwardly projecting leg of the filler strip against the inner edges of the window.

For prefabricated windows of the type having their own outer frames, the strips 17 are placed as shown in Fig. l and the outer frames are fastened in any suitable way to the strips. In some cases all of the grooves 11, 12 and 13 will not be used. For instance, only two grooves are used when the member is employed at a corner of the building. The unused channels may be filled with a strip 21 or left open if desired.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have devised an improved standardized member for building construction which is adapted for constructing all vertical walls of a building. It will also'be seen that I have provided an improved member and filler strip therefor which may be mounted in the member for hanging selectively doors or windows by merely reversing the position of the filler strip. The filler strips also serve as stops for the free edges of the doors. Because the legs of the filler strips are equal in length and thickness, respectively, to the width and depth of the grooves, the strips are completely reversible. In practice I find it economical to use the improved structural member disclosed herein not only as a stud but also as a plate and as a T, corner member, door jamb and window jamb, as shown in the drawings. These uses therefore simplify the ordering and delivering of practically all framing for the entire house.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited but is suceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In wall construction, a substantially rectangular vertical member having channel shaped grooves in the sides thereof extending the entire length of said memher, and an elongated filler strip L-shaped as viewed in cross section in at least one of the grooves having one leg thereof projecting outwardly of the member, the longer sides of said filler strip being of a width to fit snugly in said grooves and the legs thereof being of a thickness substantially equal to the depth of said grooves.

2. As an article of manufacture, a substantially rectangular building member having centrally disposed channel shaped grooves in three sides thereof extending the entire length thereof, and an elongated L-shaped filler strip the longer sides of which are of a width to fit snugly in either of said grooves and the legs of which are of a thickness substantially equal to the depth of said grooves.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 865,590 Horton Sept. 10, 1907 1,256,393 Thomas Feb. 12, 1918 1,492,560 Fisher May 6, 1924 1,639,577 Slater Aug. 16, 1927 2,046,246 Clem June 30, 1936 2,187,148 Fisher Jan. 16, 1940 2,336,435 Zirinsky Dec. 7, 1943 

